AVENTURA, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference Thursday morning at the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center, at which time he announced that hundreds of seniors will be vaccinated through a partnership with the state and interfaith leaders.
The governor said there have been 25 faith-related vaccine events across the state, but Thursday’s is the first interfaith event.
“So you have folks from all walks of life, all different faiths coming together,” he said.
The Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center partnered with the Islamic Center of Greater Miami and Trinity Church in Liberty City to vaccinate more than 500 seniors who are ages 65 and older.
DeSantis said 175 members of each congregation will be vaccinated.
“I think we need this and we need to do this a lot,” said Dr. Abdul Hamid Samra, an imam at the Islamic Center of Greater Miami. “We need to be together, especially with the time of this pandemic, we have to work together and this event -- I’m so glad this has happened and I’m so happy to be here.”
The governor also announced Thursday that the state kicked off its pilot program to vaccinate seniors who are homebound or unable to travel.
He acknowledged that some local hospitals and county health departments have already been working to vaccinate homebound seniors, and now the state is stepping up its efforts to help those patients, as well.
According to DeSantis, he visited a condominium complex in Aventura earlier in the morning Thursday, where the pilot program kicked off.
He said 1,500 people will be vaccinated, starting with 750 vaccines for Holocaust survivors.